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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. A. GILBERT & J. GORDON.

MIDDLINGS PURIFIER.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. A. GILBERT '& J. GORDON.

MIDDLINGS PURIFIER Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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UNITED STATES P TENT price.

GEOBGE A. GILBERT, OF MILIVAUKEE, WVISGONSIN, AND JOHN GORDON, OFLINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

MIDDLINGS-PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 372,308, dated November1, 1887.

' Application filed December '1, 1885. Serial No. 184,934. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. GILBERT and JOHN GORDON, of Milwaukee, inthe county of Milwaukee, and in the State of Wis- 5 consin, and ofLincoln, in the county of L- gan, and in the State of Illinois,respectively,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements inllliddlings-Purifiers; and we do hereby declare that the following is afull,

IO clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to middlings-purifiers; and it consists in certaincombinations of parts, described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical lon;

I gitudinal section of a iniddlings-purifier embodying our invention.Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are details of construction. Fig. 5 is a verticaltransverse section taken through Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail, inelevation, of the perforated steps over which the stock falls as itpasses under the feed-roll. Figs. 7 and 8 are details. Fig. 9 is atransverse vertical section of the boltingframes.

A A A represent the timbers of the frame of our device, in the lowerportion of which are located the boards B B, forming a continuoushopper, B, extending throughout the entire length between the front andrear upright timbers of the frameover the conveyers O G,

0 which latter are located in boxes of the ordinary construction. In thelower part of said hopper is located a rod, D, supported at each end inthe front and rear boards of the frame, and on this rod at regularintervals there are 5 strung the angular levers E, having each a centraleye encircling said rod, as shown.

One end of each angle-lever is inserted in a slot or groove in theslides F F, which slides move upon grooved ways f f, and the slides Fare further provided with handlesf the drawing upward of which willserve to raise the slides F; and as the angle-piece E of each pair ofslides is fulcrumed on the rod D, when any slide F is lowered, itscounter-slide, F, is thereby raised automatically, opening a passage atthe point between the hopper B and the box of the conveyor O, as shownin Fig. 5, and vice versa. At the front end of the conveyerboxes islocated the delivery-spout G centrally divided to form a spout for eachconveyer, and the from boards of the hopper B are slotted, as shown at Bfor the admission of air.

B B represent longitudinal slotted portions above the tops of the boardsB B of the hopper B, extending the entire length of the device, andabove these slotted portions are the side boards,GG,of themachine,between which extend the radially-disposed partitions H H H,forming air-chambers h h between them.

I is the decking or top board of the machine, which extends back fromthe hopper J to the fan K, while from above said fan and parallel withthe rear partition, H, there extends another decking, H, which continuesdown to nearly the base of the rear of the machine, forming anotherair-chamber, h. This decking H also extends forward at an angle abovethe fan K and forms, with a parallel baseboard, I, and side boards, i, adischarge-spout, 7c 03, for the fan K. All of the air-chambers h h h,850., open, of course, to the fan K, and to regulate the .draft at theupper ends of the airchambers door-valves 7c is k are provided, movedloybolts passingthrough the side boards, 7 5 G G, in quadrant-slots Z ZZ. The base or widest part of each air-chamber h is provided with twoplates of perforated zinc, the lower plate of which is stationary andcontinuous from the decking I, at the point a, to the limit of the rearchamber, h, at b, and continued down to the base of the airchamber h atthe pointc, while the upper plate is in section and movable, ashereinafter explained, in orderto increase or diminish the size of theopenings in the two plates 0t perforated zinc at will, as shown indetail in Figs. 7 and 8, where M represents the lower stationary plateof zinc, with perforations m m, while M is the upper movable platewithperforations m m. At stated intervals cross strips L extend from oneside board G to the other, there being one under every partitionH, andone between each two partitions, and these strips are T- shaped incross-section, as shown in Fig. 1.

G G are strips secured longitudinally along the inner sides of the sideboards, G G, and to the upper edges of these strips and the lower edgesof the vertical part or shank of the T-shaped strips.L is fastened theplate M,

of perforated zinc, while the movable sections M are located on top ofthe stationary plate M and under the horizontal wings of the T- shapedstrips. The sections M are about half an inch less in width than thespace between the side boards, G G, and the openings at and m are eachonlya quarter of an inch in width, (by an inch in length,) and hen'ceaquarter of an inch movement of the plates M will serve to wholly closethe said openings and any less movement to diminish the width of saidopenings to any degree required.

N N represent bolts passing through the side boards, G, the inner endsof which are riveted to the plates M, while the outer ends arescrew-threaded and provided with thumb nuts N; and by loosening thesenuts on one side and tightening the correspondingnuts on the other sidethe movable plates M may be drawn either way, and the openings on mthereby regulated, controlling the draft of air into the air-chambers hh at will.

Below the hopper J, at the front of the machine, is a slotted wall, B,extending down as far as the partition A and in line with the verticalwall or front board of said partition, for the purpose of admitting airthrough the perforations in the risers of the metal steps 0, over whichthe stock or impure middlings falls as it passes under the feed-roll Jat the base of the hopper J. These steps are shown in detail elevationin Fig. 6, wherein the slightly-inclined solid portions (having justsufficient pitch for thestock to freely fall over) are marked 0, and theperforated vertical risers are marked 0. These steps are arrangedpreferably in series of two short and one long (or high) risers, asshown, there being in the illustration given three of such seriesbetween the feed roll J and the inner end of the horizontal partition A.At the rear of the machine there are located similar steps, 0, for thereception of the failings as they fall from the bolting-cloth, (to behereinafterdescribed,) which steps extend from the top of the rearpartition, A at the point (I to the tailingsspout C at the point e.

B is a slotted door, (of which there is one on each side of themachine,) to admit air under the steps 0, and also to afford access foroiling, &e., to the rear ends of the conveyershafts, &c.

P is the frame of the bolting-cloth, and consists of strips of woodarranged to form three sides of a rectangle, and having inner strips ofless height, while between the two sets of strips the edges of a pieceof bolting-cloth, p, are secured, which cloth is not drawn tightlyenough to strain the meshes, but which has naturally some little sag toit, which sagging is prevented, as shown in Fig. 9, and afterwardexplained. Below the side edges ofthis frame P are those of a similarrectangular frame, Q, (which has four sides complete of equalhcight,while the fourth side or rear end of the frame P is only atransverse strip below the rear edge of the cloth,) and this frame Q haslikewise strips of less height, while between these two sets of stripsthe edges of a screen, q, of flattened wire-cloth, are secured, whichwire-cloth is drawn to a tight tension to prevent the bolting-clothimmediately above from sagging.

By flattened wire-cloth we mean such as has been rendered smooth andeven on both sides without any ridges where the strands of wire crosseach other.

The frames P Q are secured to each other by links q,which permitreciprocating motion of the two frames, while the upper frame, P, issuspended, by vibrating hangersp, from the side boards, G G. Motion isconnnni'iicatcd to these frames by means of eccentrics and their rods,as follows: A strip, Q, extends longitudinally under the screen q thewhole length ofthc frame Q, (being beveled attop, as shown, so as tointerfere as little as possible with the descent of the sifted materialthrough the meshes of the screen at that point,) and at the center ofthis strip Q a crossstrip or crosspiece, Q, is secured,with dependingpin q, which pin supports a boxing, R, containing (on each side of thispin) blocks of rubber rr, while the boxing is slotted around the pin togive opportunity for adjustment, and thereby (with aid of the set-screwr) to vary the degree of compression of the rubber blocks, which serveas cushions at the end of the connectingrod S, leading from theeccentric T on shaft t, supported and driven by power at the front ofthe machine. This eccentric T is larger than those (T T) which areconnected by the rods S S,boxings R It, and studs 2' r to the sides ofthe frame P, whereby the travel of the lower frame is from one-eighth tothrce-eighths of an inch farther than the travel of the upper frame,which carries the bolting-cloth.

The object in making the lower or screen frame travel a greater distancethan the upper or bolting-cloth frame is to promote the rearward anddownward travel of the stock on the bolting-cloth (there being a slightpitch to the frames, as shown) and to insure a more perfect slidingmovement of the stock than heretofore. The bolting cloth lying somewhatloosely 011 the screen accomplishes two very desirable results-lirst,preventing the breaking up of the middlings, and, secondly,keeping thelight fluffy matter always on top of the mass, so as to be readily drawnup into the air-chamber.

By our machine, as the impure middlings are fed from the hopper J overthe steps 0, a great deal of the dust and fluffy impurities is suckedinto the front air-chambcrs, h h, through the perforated zinc bottoms MM of said chambers before the stock reaches the cloth, and after that,by reason of our zinc bottoms being located very near the cloth, (inpractice about four inches above only,) we can remove the dust and fluffby a more delicate draft and without danger of drawing up the lightermiddlings than if the air-chambers were located at any considerabledistance above the bolting-cloth. Again, we have provided means forindependently regulating the draft through our air-chambers at bothbottom and top; and, further, we have means for drawing the impuritiesout of the tailings by our rear air-chamber, h, and steps 0'.

Our system of driving is as follows: Power is applied to the drivingpulley U on shaft t, (which carries the eccentrics T,) whose other endcarries a small sprocket-wheel, a, from which a sprocket-chain, u, runsto a large sprocket wheel, U, which, with a small sprocket-wheel, U(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) cast on the hub of the large wheel U,is mounted on a stud, a projecting from the frame, and from the smallsprocket-wheel U a sprocket chain, 7), runs to a larger sprocketwheel,V, (about the size of the driving-pulley, but much smaller than thewheel U,) on a transverse shaft, 22, which, by means of bevel-gears,runs the two conveyers O O, and which shaft '0 has anothersprocket-wheel at its other end connecting, by a long sprocketchain, 10,(extending the entire height of the frame,) with the sprocket-wheel onthat end of the feed-roller shaft W. On the end of the driving-shaft t,opposite to the driving-pulley, is another pulley, X, from which extendsa belt, 00, to a pulley, Y, on the end of the shaft Z, which drives thefan K. P P represent ordinary shields to prevent the stock fromfalling'over the edges of the frame of the boltingcloth.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with an upper reciprocating frame suspendedpivotally in the ma chine-body and having a bolting-cloth securedloosely thereto,of a second reciprocating frame suspended pivotally fromthe upper frame and having a wire screen secured thereto, and means,substantially as described, for imparting a greater degree of movementto the lower than to the upper frame, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the machine-casing and the bolting-framesupported longitudinally therein, of a suction-fan mounted uponsaidcasing, a series of partitions converging toward the fan and formingintermediate airchamhers above the bolting-frame, and a perforated wallor diaphragm extending across the mouths of said air-chambers andcomposed of two sections, the upper one of which is adjustable uponthe-lower one, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the machine'casing and the.-bolting-framesupported longitudinally therein, of a suction-fan mounted upon saidcasing, a series of partitions converging toward the fan and formingintermediate airchambers above the bolting-frame, a door-valve locatedat the: exit of each airchamber contiguous to the fan, and a perforatedwall or diaphragm extending across the mouths of said chambers andcomposed of two sections, the upper one of which is adjustable upon thelower one, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4:. The combination of the machine-casing constructed with the rearpartition, the rear air-ch amber having adjustable perforated base anddoor "alve, the suction-fan, the slatted openings in rearof thepartition,the frame carrying the bolting-cloth, the tailings-spout, anda series of steps having solidinclined portions and perforatedrisers,'said steps being interposed between the rear of the machine andthe base of the rear air-chamber and ext-ending and connecting-rodsbetween the driving-shaft and frames and j ournaled eccentrically tosaid shaft, the connecting-rod of the screen-frame being located betweenthe connecting-rods of the bolting-cloth frame and having a largereccentric than the latter, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. Thecombination, with the conveyers and their boxes, of a longitudinalhopper located above said boxes and having ways or guides formed on itslower outer sides, a rod extending through the lower part of the hopperand carrying a series of angle-levers, and slides set movably in saidguides and slotted or grooved on their inner sides to receive the endsof said angle-levers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands,at Milwaukee, in

the county of Milwaukee and State of lrVisconsin, and at Lincoln, in thecounty of Logan and State ofIllinois, respectively, each in the presenceof two witnesses.

GEORGE A. GILBERT. JOHN GORDON. Witnesses to signature of Gilbert:

H. G. UNDERwooD, N. E. OLIPHANT. Witnesses to signature of Gordon:

E. B. MALTBY, J. T. RUDOLPH.

